A FLYING club is today mourning the two men who died in Monday's plane crash near Cwmbran.

Members of Cardiff Wales Flying Club have been left "devastated" by the news that two of their most experienced pilots had died.

Gerald Prangley and Kevin Mansbridge, both in their 50s and from Glamorgan, were killed when the plane they were flying, a Piper Tomahawk P38 - one of the club's training aircraft - struck the hillside at Mynydd Maen in Upper Cwmbran on Monday afternoon.

Both men had been members of the club, based at Cardiff Wales Airport, for a number of years and had flown the route many times.

A spokeswoman for the club said: "They were long-standing and well-respected members of the flying club and everyone is devastated. We knew them and their families well and they were friends as well as club members.

"They were both experienced pilots and had flown that route many times before and knew all the troublespots and weather conditions.

"It was normal thing for them and other members to do on a Bank Holiday, to fly to another airfield elsewhere in the country and have lunch with other pilots, then come back."

The spokeswoman added: "This has never happened to our club before and we are finding it difficult to cope with the situation.

"Whatever the cause turns out to be, this accident is still tragic for everyone. Our thoughts are very much with their families."

Mr Mansbridge, from Barry in the Vale of Glamorgan, had been with the club for nearly ten years and was on its committee.

Mr Prangley, from Bridgend in Mid Glamorgan, had been a member for around four years.

They had taken off from the club's base on Monday morning and headed for Shropshire, but Cardiff airport lost radio contact with them around noon.

An investigation was immediately launched by the Air Accident Investigation Branch and both the flying club's chief and deputy flying instructors were yesterday helping with their enquiries to determine the cause of the crash on a seemingly routine flight.